The sword itself looks like a reproduction of the Tizona del Cid (scroll down just a touch to see the hilt), which belonged to the 11th century Castilian knight Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar (El Cid Compeador). You can read more about his details at that page, but the repro swords have been popular for a long time and widely available from many makers. Because of his connection to the reconquista, El Cid tends to be seen as a champion of pious Christian militancy, so if you can get any information about the context in which it was given (a veterans' society or religious organization? Was he active in the church?) it might help you to understand why he has it. I've never seen one with a dedicational nameplate installed [on the blade -edit], so it looks like a special kind of award.